Well folks be warned cos this DOES NOT make for pretty reading. Winsford seemed to have a major run of bad luck with 4 total failures! As below:
(1)4156 worked off crewe at 07:30, failed just after leaving nantwich with the prob been reported as gearbox slipping out of gear.
(2)4143 picked us up & continued seemingly fine, however just after getting through tarvin it too failed with the exact same prob as 4156!!!!!
(3)2619 failed, noted sitting just outside tarvin but no idea what was up with it. No driver noted with it so assume they'd gone with another driver fetch a fitter out. Noted 2619 approx 11:10am.
(4)On my way back into crewe near nantwich, 4215 must've hit a particularly big tree branch as on arrival into nantwich the front upper deck windscreen had a big spider web crack.
I eventually arrived into chester approx 10:00, picked up by a GHA driver. Massive thanks must go to the drivers. Plz forgive if i've got names wrong here copey. Think IIRC it was a guy called neil driving 4156 & female driver called linda who was driving the 08:00 off crewe??? Both really helpful & kept everyone informed.
Copey any idea what the hell happened to 4143/4156?
Also interestingly 709 was noted on the 37 around 13:00 at crewe no idea why tbh though.
(19/07/2014 19:49)33109 Wrote: [ -> ]Well folks be warned cos this DOES NOT make for pretty reading. Winsford seemed to have a major run of bad luck with 4 total failures! As below:
(1)4156 worked off crewe at 07:30, failed just after leaving nantwich with the prob been reported as gearbox slipping out of gear.
(2)4143 picked us up & continued seemingly fine, however just after getting through tarvin it too failed with the exact same prob as 4156!!!!!
(3)2619 failed, noted sitting just outside tarvin but no idea what was up with it. No driver noted with it so assume they'd gone with another driver fetch a fitter out. Noted 2619 approx 11:10am.
(4)On my way back into crewe near nantwich, 4215 must've hit a particularly big tree branch as on arrival into nantwich the front upper deck windscreen had a big spider web crack.
I eventually arrived into chester approx 10:00, picked up by a GHA driver. Massive thanks must go to the drivers. Plz forgive if i've got names wrong here copey. Think IIRC it was a guy called neil driving 4156 & female driver called linda who was driving the 08:00 off crewe??? Both really helpful & kept everyone informed.
Copey any idea what the hell happened to 4143/4156?
Also interestingly 709 was noted on the 37 around 13:00 at crewe no idea why tbh though.
Four? There was more than that!
4143 made it out onto the 31A/37 and 4156 was back on 84 longs in the afternoon. I also found-out that 709 replaced a Centro on the 31A/37 as it was needed on the 84. By this evening, most of the 84 longs were Cadets and Centros with 4026 and 4156 being the only 'deckers on there.
To add to the madness, a 29 was missed-out in the afternoon due to a breakdown and the 84 still wasn't running properly by the evening (with one short missing and the other short being faulty 4042 which was replaced by a Cadet in Nantwich as it had gear problems [it was on 84 longs in the morning but was taken-off as it had gear problems...]).
Overall, an absolutely shambolic service was provided - no 84 to Crewe from Chester for nearly two hours and no 84 shorts running at about midday whilst 84 longs were all over the place... However, credit to the drivers and the Crewe Bus Station supervisor for being of help during the chaos.
See this is where we could've done with more spare deckers! If 4050/99 hadn't been withdrawn early they could've been used to cover failures.
The sooner the ex southport ALX400s turn up better off we'll be, yesterday was an absolute nightmare. As mentioned above as the 0730/08:00 off crewe both failed hence no crewe runs off chester for almost 2 hours.
(20/07/2014 08:55)33109 Wrote: [ -> ]The sooner the ex southport ALX400s turn up better off we'll be
Good luck with them as they're not very reliable for Southport on a similar rural service as it is!
A surprise this morning, though in the light of the last few postings perhaps not that much of a surprise, was 4177 ex Bolton on the 1025 ex Nantwich to Crewe 84 long - 0925 or 0930 from Chester. 4172 was here a month or two back so perhaps in time we might get the whole batch on piecemeal loan to Winsford! I imagine the schools requirement at Bolton is now finished for the summer.
It's all happening on the 84 folks! After 4177 yesterday both 4170 and 4175 have been on the route today. In addition I was on the 1425 ex Chester - 2501 - which proceeded to overheat at Tarporley. Had to wait for the 1455 from Chester which was 2516. 2501 then took off and overtook 2516 running light back to Crewe or Winsford.
Are there any more Bolton DLPs around?
Could you tell me what time/where/direction you saw both Presidents today? I'm intrested to know if one has got onto the duty which does the 19:30 or 20:30 37 off Crewe, both formed from 84's so I can get a shot, any info will be appreciated
(22/07/2014 17:11)R311 WVR Wrote: [ -> ]Could you tell me what time/where/direction you saw both Presidents today? I'm intrested to know if one has got onto the duty which does the 19:30 or 20:30 37 off Crewe, both formed from 84's so I can get a shot, any info will be appreciated
4170 was leaving Nantwich at 1040 approx towards Crewe with the late running 0925 ex Chester, 1025 ex Nantwich 84. I saw it later in the day Chester bound at Clotton between Tarporlley and Tarvin on the main A51 I think on the 1425 ex Nantwich, 1400 ex Crewe. 4175 I saw first at Alpraham at around 1120 which I think would have been the late-running 1025 ex Chester, which should have been 1125 from Nantwich to Crewe. I saw it again later at Calverley I think, heading for Chester. My timings were up the chute after catching the 1425 2501 from Chester and then following the overheating having to wait for 2516 on the 1455 ex Chester.
Hope all this helps
The driver of one of the presidents this morning obviously didnt realise that the bus didnt have a tag to get throuh the rising bollards in Chester and caused mayhem.
Yep that's responsibility of a router or depot manager should know if they've got tags for the bollards. Copey know this us maybe a long shot but any poss chance we could have copy of the depot allocations per day I.E. what bus on which duty.